Improvement in switch-locks



C 1^ @EL and PATENTE J UN 27 1871 UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE ALONZO W. CRAM, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, AND WILLIAM B. DUNBAR, OF CHL CAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO ALONZO W. CRAM.

IMPROVEMENT IN SWITCH-LOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 116,416, dated J une 27, 1871.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, ALONZO W. CRAM, of the city and county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, and WILLIAM B. DUNBAR, of Chicago, in the county oi' Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain Lock for Railroad Switches, of which the following is a speciiication:

Our invention consists of a lock which is selfengaging on the switch-lever, being brought to either of its several positions by means of a bolt attachedto the lever ofthe switch by a sprin g-lever, and passing through the switch-lever and one or more ofthe guidebars. The spring-bolt is tubular to admit the key, by which 011e or more springtumblers are thrown back, to allow the retraction of the locking-bolt to free the switch-lever.

Figure l is a perspective view of our improvement, the looking-bolt being shown drawn out to permit the movement of the switch-lever, and a portion of the faceplate of the lock being broken away to show the spring-tumbler. Fig. 2 is a section transverse to the locking-bolt at the line Y Y, Fig. 3, the key being inserted in the lock and turned so as to force the tumbler from any engagement with the locking-bolt, to permit the Withdrawal of the latter. Fig. 3 is a section at right angles to Fig. 2 and at the line X X, showing also a side View of the key.

A and B are standards of the guide-frame of the switch or signal-lever C. The lever C is fulcrumed, d, in a standard, D, and to its lower end is pivoted the rod E, through which the railroad switch is moved when the lever C is swung to the right or left. F and G are curved bars, forming guides to the levers C. His the outer plate of a lock attached to the lever C, having a round hole, h, to admit the lookingbolt. I is a tumbler within the lock, the said tumbler being pivoted to the plate, and having a spring, t', by which it is made to engage with the locking-bolt J, which passes through a hole, i', in the tumbler. The lockin g-bolt is tubular, its inner end being closed, and is attached by the open end to a spring-le ver, K, which has a key-hole, k, opposite to the cavity of the locking-bolt. rlhe spring-lever is hinged at c to the lever C, and has beneath its upper end a rubber or other spring, c', to force the locking-bolt inward. The key L has a stud, l, which travels, on entering a longitudinal slot,

j, in the side of the locking-bolt, and enters and turns in the slot j, which serves to receive the tumbler to prevent the retraction of the bolt. The key in turning forces the tumbler from the slot j and allows the bolt to be drawn out. M are holes extending through the guidebar F, and partly or wholly through the guide-bar Gr, and serving to receive the end ofthe lock-bolt to hold the lever in position.

The operation of the lock is as follows: Supposing the lever C to be secured in position by the bolt passing through the lever and guidebars, the key is inserted, and its stud l, passing along the slot j', enters the slot j, and, being turned to the right, the stud forces the edge of the hole i of the tumbler from the slot 7' and frees the bolt, which may then be drawn outward, and the lever C is free to swing over to the right or left. The spring-bolt, on being released and brought by the moving ofthe lever C iu conjunction with either ot' the holes M, will enter the latter, owing to the action of the spring c', under the heel of the bolt-lever K. rlhe tumbler will then engage the bolt and hold it in until released by the proper key. The tumblers may be increased to any desired number, and may enter the same or difterent slots j. The entering end of the bolt is beveled so as to force aside the tumbler in entering, and to pass through the hole i.

We claim- 1. The tubular bolt J j j', spring-tumbler or tumblers I t' z", and spring-lever K c c', substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination and arrangement of the guide-bars F G, bolt J, tumbler I, and springlever K with the switch-operating lever C, all substantially as described.

In testimony of which invention we hereunto set our hands.

ALONZO W. CRAM. WILLIAM B. DUNBAR.

Witnesses as to CRAM:

SAME. KNIGHT, B. C. BEARDsLEY. Witnesses as to DUNBAR:

JoNAs HUToHINsoN, GILMORE C. WILLIAMS. 

